Partners Till the End
by The Cowgirl Bookworm
Summary: Serena thought that becoming a detective would be something fun, a nice change from the seriousness of the League, but then she gets drawn back to having to fight Team Flare, caring for a orphan named Emma, and sorting out her own feelings for her new partner, Looker. Detectiveduoshipping, Serena/Looker


**AN: Sorry for all the game dialogue, I tried to break it up, but this is how you meet Looker in the game. There will definitely be less game dialogue going forward.**

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Serena had thought that her days after becoming the Kalos Champion would be nothing but relaxing days at the Hotel Richissme Spa only interrupted by exciting battles from some challenger who managed to beat the Elite Four. She'd take up Berry farming, make stunning paintings that would hang in Parfum Palace, oh there were so many things she wanted to do. And she thought that becoming Champion would mean she would have time, and money, to do them all.

If not for those snooty little peons in Lumiose she would be off doing that.

Apparently, despite being the Champion, she still wasn't "stylish" enough for some of the exclusive boutiques and restaurants in that fashionable city. After seeing the prices at the exclusive boutique, Serena had sworn a mental blue streak and returned to begin battling at the various restaurants. She usually made back what she paid to enter, even if it was a sum of money that would make a Meowth faint.

Besides, she liked her blue peacoat, and her blue hat with one of Santo's green feathers perched jauntily in the brim. She paused for a moment after coming out of Le Yeah, consulting her mental map of Lumiose when her Holocaster began to play the shrill melody that indicated an incoming call. Delphi, her Delphox, made sure she could hear his mental chuckle as she scrambled to the bottom of her purse for the damn thing. The Fox pokemon had been with her since the beginning, and along with Rexy, her Tyrantrum, usually accompanied her.

The Lumiose police had kindly requested the Rexy be kept in her ball while Serena was in the city.

With a triumphant smirk, Serena freed the beeping device from the bottom of her bag and quickly pressed the accept button. A flash of blue light formed itself into a generic smily face, indicating that whoever was calling did not have their camera on. The speakers crackled to life, a male voice quickly speaking. "Ahem... Serena. Please excuse me."

Serena smiled, and was about to say that it was no problem when the man kept talking.

"I only need a moment. Or perhaps three. There is something I really need to talk about with you. Please come to the Looker Bureau. The building is close to Rouge Plaza. I can't say any more right now. I will expect to see you soon." With a chime, the holograph receded. Serena put the device back in her bag, looking over at Delphi.

He stared her in the eye. Serena was glad he was a Psychic type, it meant she could speak to him and he could mentally respond. He also translated for the rest of the team when necessary. His gruff mental voice rang out in her mind. _It could be a trap. Now that you are the Champion, holding you hostage would threaten the entire Kalos region, not to mention your actual person._

"Please, like you would ever let something happen to me." Serena reached over, gently tugging on the tufts of hair that filled Delphi's ears.

 _I would feel more comfortable if Rexy accompanied us._

"If I bring Rexy out here the cops will kick me out of the city." Serena rolled her eyes. She loved that Tyrantrum with all her heart, just like she loved her entire team. But some people have problems with eight foot dragons come back from their extinction at the dawn of time, go figure. She reached down into a pocket, pulling out a pokeball and quickly releasing its occupant. The sturdy Hawlucnha quickly took shape, stretching after his confinement. "Hey Santo, you want to come with us to meet some weird guy?"

The masked bird cocked his head for a moment, before nodding.

Serena flashed Delphi a smile. "See, it's all right now."

Delphi reached for his wand, twirling it between his paws. _Sometimes I hate you._

"Love you too little guy." Serena scratched the top of his head. "Now let's see if I remember how to get to Rouge Plaza." It took two trips around the major boulevards, one to Prism tower, and finally an individual search of the plazas themselves before she finally found a building with a small, recently installed, plaque. Unlike the extremely gilded and flowing script of the Sushi High Roller restaurant across the street, this sign simply said "Looker Bureau" in plain type. Serena entered, followed by Delphi and Santo.

Compared to the rest of Lumiose, it was a rather plain office. A man, his head poking above the collar of his brown trench coat, was considering something through the window but turned when he heard her enter. "It was good of you to come."

Serena gave a little shrug. "Well, you know us Champions, we can't resist a mystery."

He rested his chin in his hand, his brown hair grazing his forehead above gray eyes. "Yes, I need thirty seconds of your time. Or three minutes only. Thirty minutes maybe."

Serena bit back a chuckle, even as Delphi settled into a protective pose behind her. _If he grabs you, duck and I will burn him._

If the man noticed he didn't react. "First, you must know that I have taken the liberty of investigating you, Serena. For example I can say that you're the newest Champion of the Kalos region. Also, I can say that you were the one to save our world from the group known as Team Flare."

Delphi growled a little, stepping forward. _Great, yet another stalker. Get back, I've got a Flamethrower ready for him._

Serena held up a hand. "Well, I can see you read the League's latest issue of Kalos Monthly at least."

The man blushed a little, a hand rising up to brush his hair back. "Yes, uh, well. Good, very good." He struck a pose, pointing with one finger. "I have delayed in giving my introduction." He gave a smile. "My code name is, no." He pursed his lips, shaking his head. "I mean to say, my name is Looker. I'm no more than a grim, middle-aged man who works in this town as a detective."

Serena gave a snort at that. If he was middle aged, she was right there with him. He was probably in his mid-thirties, as she was in her mid-twenties. Looker barely seemed to notice her barely holding in a laugh, continuing. "And now, let us approach the real subject, Serena, my friend. I investigated you, yes. I called you here today, yes. The reason for these actions? Listen well..."

She perked up a bit at that, quite interested in what this odd man had to say. For a detective, he sure didn't get to the point quickly.

"Lumiose City, it is a tourist destination whose name is known all over the world. Many kind of people live here, and even more come to visit and enjoy the atmosphere. The fact is, wherever there are so many people in one place, trouble is never far behind." She nodded at that, Lumiose had a terrible crime problem even before all the Flare business had started up. "Trouble beckons me. Yes. Trouble troubles me. And so I arrive, and so I open this agency. Being a detective and doing such work requires a person with a hard-boiled heart."

"Sounds like you watch a lot of mystery shows." Serena smirked as Looker blushed again. "Sorry, I've just never heard a person used the term hard-boiled seriously."

Looker shook his head, his face falling. "Yes, well, even a heart that embraces the loneliness of this life can stumble, falter, doubt." Serena could hear the sadness in his voice, and moved over despite Delphi's protests that she should stay far from him.

"I'm sorry." Serena said, feeling like an idiot for snarking off. She wasn't sure if her comment had made him sad, or some memory in his head, but all she could do was apologize.

Looker, well, looked at her. "That's where you come in. I want you to be my assistant." He shook his head. "No, more than that. I want you to be my partner. If a Champion like you and an iron-jawed detective like me can join forces, I promise we can bring peace to Lumiose City!"

He reached a hand out. "What does your heart say, Serena? Will you partner with me and fight crime?"

Serena gave his hand a firm shake. "Gladly, just one question."

"What?"

"Can I let my Tyrantrum out, over in that alley? She's been cooped up for way too long."


End file.
